Rapid charging valve housing

ABSTRACT

The upper rim of the valve housing of an aerosol pressurized dispenser is given a generally castellated form to result in desirable deformation of the sealing gasket to provide auxiliary filling paths for charging the dispenser with propellant under pressure.

United States Patent Meurfsch et al.

Oct. 1, 1974 RAPID CHARGING VALVE HOUSING [75] Inventors: HerbertMeuresch, References Cited Falkenstein/Taunus; Franz UNITED STATES,PATENTS Z'mmerhackel Hattershflm/Mamr 2,890,817 6/1959 RheinstromZZZ/402.16 both of Germany [73] Assignee: Precision Valve Corporation,Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Yonkers, N.Y. Assistant Examiner-JosephJ. Rollla [22] Filed: Jan. 29, 1973 attorney, Agent, or Firm-Davis,Hoxie, Faithful] &

apgood [21] Appl. No.: 327,725

[57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application r y Data The upper rim of the valvehousing of an aerosol pres- Feb. 9, 1972 Germany 2206079 surizeddispenser is given a generally castellated form to result in desirabledeformation of the sealing gasket [52] US. Cl. ZZZ/402.16 to provideauxiliary filling paths for charging the dis- [51] Int. Cl 865d 83/14penser with propellant under pressure. [58] Field of Search 222/402.16,402.1; 141/3,

16 Claims, 5 Drawing; Figures 141/20 PATENTED 7 1 i974 3.838.799 sum 10?g PATENTEDIIBT H 3.838.799 8885120? 2 FIG. 4.

Q-RSBEB RAPID CHARGING VALVE HOUSING This invention relates to a valvefor a pressurized aerosol dispenser. In particular, it relates to avalve hous ing having a notched or castellated upper rim which permitsthe annular valve gasket to be deflected by the pressure of propellantgas when the container is being charged.

The aerosol dispenser comprises a valve housing within which is found amovable valve member having an upstanding hollow valve stem. An annularresilient gasket of washer shape surrounds the valve stem and blocks atransverse valve orifice which communicates with a hollow interior ofthe stem. This assembly of housing, movable valve member, gasket andspring is positioned within a valve mounting pedestal formed in a valvemounting cup. The valve stem protrudes through an aperture in the endwall of the pedestal portion. The valve mounting cup is a metal memberwhich serves as an end closure for the container and is adapted to beaffixed to the container mouth aperture,

fice which may be connected to a product eduction tube which extends tothe bottom of the dispenser container.

The valve is actuated for dispensing purposes by de pressing theupstanding valve stem inwardly of the container, thereby deflecting theinner margin of the annular resilient gasket away from blockingrelationship with the valve orifice. This establishes communication ofthe hollow upstanding valve stem with the interior of the dispensercontainer through the valve housing and the product eduction tube.Propellant gas provides the pressure necessary to force the product upthe eduction tube, through the valve housing, through the valve orificeand up the valve stem. A dispensing button having a dispensing orificeof appropriate form is usually affixed to the upstanding valve stem byfriction. Such a valve is described in US. Pat. No. 2,631,814.

Pressurized dispensers having valves of the type above described arefrequently filled by introducing the.

mounting cup is sealingly affixed to the mouth aperture of thecontainer. After the mounting cup is affixed, propellant is introducedunder reltively high pressure by bringing a charging head intocommunication with the valve stem. The valve stem is depressed to openthe valve and propellant under pressure flows through the stern andthrough the valve orifice into the container. Because the valve orific eis of relatively small dimension, such a filling procedure is relativelyslow. It is known to establish filling paths auxiliary to the productflow paths for more rapid charging of the container. It is known toemploy a charging head which presents propellant under pressure to thevalve stem aperture of the mounting cup pedestal portion outside thevalve stem. The pressure of the propellant deflects the inner margin ofthe sealing gasket away from the valve stem to provide an annularentrance surrounding the valve stem. Thus, propellant passes into thecontainer by separate paths inside and outside the valve stem.

According to US. Pat. No. 2,890,817, auxiliary filling paths for thepropellant are formed by openings in the end wall of the valve mountingcup pedestal portion. The annular sealing gasket extends radiallyoutwardly from the clamping edge of the valve housing to cover theseopenings. During propellant charging, the pressure of the propellantdeflects the outer margin of the sealing inwardly and away from theseopenings to establish auxiliary paths. After filling, the pressure ofthe propellant within the container forces the outer margin of thesealing gasket into sealing engagement with these holes.

The present invention is concerned with providing an auxiliary fillingpath for propellant under pressure which more reliably seals andprovides less flow restriction than do the above-described auxiliaryfilling paths.

According to the invention, the sealing gasket is clamped between theend wall of the valve mounting cup pedestal portion and a rim of thevalve housing which has projections or castellations outwardly of theuninterrupted inner margin of the rim. The inner margin effects auniform clamping of the gasket while the projections provide regions ofthe gasket which are not supported or clamped. These unsupported orunclamped regions between the projections are free to deform underfilling pressure and provide auxiliary filling paths outside the valvehousing which originate at auxiliary apertuers in the end wall of themounting cup pedestal portion. The projections clamp the outer margin ofthe gasket for tight sealing after filling.

Auxiliary filling paths exterior to the valve housing are advantageousbecause there is less flow restriction than paths through the valvehousing and because the high pressures employed during filling sometimescause explosion or distortion of the valve housing when all thepropellant must pass through the valve housing.

In one embodiment of the invention, the projections are radial ribsissuing from the clamping edge of the inner margin of the rim of thevalve housing. These ribs hold the sealing gasket fast against the innersurface of the end wall of the valve mounting cup pedestal portion.Additional apertures through the end wall surrounding the valve mountingcup aperture may be employed. The ribs help hold the sealing gasket insealing relationship with the additional apertures. Where radial ribsand additional apertures are employed together, it is advantageous tomake the number of additional openings and the number of ribs differ byone or more to insure that the ribs cannot be positioned such that theywill block all of the auxiliary openings.

In another embodiment, the projections are in the form of columnsradially spaced from the inner margin clamping edge.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail by reference tothe drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section taken along line A-A of FIG. 2 througha valve having a housing according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sealing gasket and the valve housing ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the valve housingof FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a valve having ahousingaccording to the second embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the valve housingof FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is illustrated a firstembodiment of the present invention. A

valve assembly comprising a valve housing 11, a valve body 17 having anupstanding valve stem 6, a closure biasing spring 16 and a resilientannular sealing washer 9 are assembled and clamped within a valvemounting pedestal portion 3 of a metal valve mounting cup 2 by means ofthe indentations or crimps 14 formed inwardly in the metal of the valvemounting cup pedestal portion and under a tapered shoulder 14 formed onthe upper part 12 of the valve housing 11. The crimping operationupwardly forces the valve housing 11 to cause the clamping edge tocompress and sealingly engage the gasket 19. An actuator button 7 isfrictionally fitted to the upstanding valve stem 6. The stem 6 protrudesthrough an aperture 27 in the end wall 4 of thee pedestal portion 3. Theactuator button includes a discharge orifice 8 and passages 5 of thevalve stem 6 which communicate with the bore. A longitudinal passage 25is provided for conveying propellant during the charging operation. Aproduct eduction tube is fitted to the lower end of'the valve housing 11and surrounds the inlet to the valve housing. A valve orifice l9 permitscommunication of the bore 5 of the upstanding valve stem 6 with theinterior of the valve housing 11 when the valve stem is depressed. Theinner margin of the gasket 9 is deflected downwardly and away fromblocking relationship with the valve orifice 19 to permit product underpressure to flow up the product eduction tube 15, through the interiorof the valve housing 11, through the valve orifice l9 and into thehollow bore 5 of the valve stem. The discharge button 7 includespassages which extend from the valve stem bore 5 to the dischargeorifice 8 to permit dispensing of the product.

The valve housing of the present invention is illustrated in perspectivein FIG. 3. The housing 11 includes four radial ribs 22 which extendradially outwardly of the clamping edge 10 at the inner margin of thehousing 11. Intermediate the radial ribs 22 are sloping regions 21 whichpermit the downward deflection of the resilient gasket 9 during thefilling operation. Longitudinal grooves 23 in the enlarged upper portion12 of the valve housing 11 provide propellant flow passages leading tothe interior 24 of the container 1.

FIG. 2 shows the relative arrangement of the ribs 22 on the upper rim ofthe valve housing 11 and a series of auxiliary openings through the endwall 4 of the valve mounting cup pedestal portions 3. Openings 20 arelocated radially outward of the valve stem aperture 27. As illustratedin FIG. 2, there are four radial ribs and five auxiliary fillingopenings 20. As a consequence, no relative rotation of the housing withrespect to the end wall 4 will block all of the openings 20.

For dispensing purposes, the valve just described operates in thefashion ordinary to such valves. It is during the operation of fillingor charging the aerosol dispenser container 1 with propellant what thevalve of the present invention differs in operation from those of theprior art. A charging head (not shown) connected to a source ofpropellant under relatively high pressure is positioned to encompass thevalve stem 6 with or without button 7 and at least the valve mountingcup pedestal portion 3 of the container. The charging head is sealinglyengaged with the container to prevent waste of propellant. The charginghead is normally arranged to effect depression of the valve stem to opena first charging path extending from the discharge orifice downwardlythrough the valve stem bore 5 and through the orifice l9 and valvehousing 11 into the interior of the container through the producteduction tube 15. The auxiliary filling path of the present inventionconveys propellant through the longitudinal passage 25 of the button toa chamber 26 on the under surface of the button. The lower margin of thebutton engages the end wall 4 of the valve mounting cup pedestal portionto complete the integrity of the chamber 26. Propellant in either agaseous or liquid state is thereby present at the auxiliary fillingapertures 20. The pressure of propellant downwardly deflects thoseportions of the annular gasket 9 which lie radially outward of theclamping rim l0 and span the regions 21 between the radial ribs 22 ofthe upper rim of the housing 11. Downward deflection of these portionsof the gasket 9 establishes a plurality of radial passageways betweenthe inner surface of the end wall 4 of the valve mounting cup pedestalportion and the upper surface of the gasket 9. Propellant passingthrough these radial passages formed by gasket deflection is free toenter the interior 24 of the container 1 by passing around the outerperiphery of the gasket 9 and downwardly through the longitudinalgrooves 23 formed in the upper portion 12 of the housing 11.

A known further charging path is also established. This path leads fromthe valve stem aperture 27 past the downwardly deflected inner margin ofthe gasket 9 and into the valve housing 11.

Upon completion of the charging operation, the charging head iswithdrawn and the valve is allowed to close returning the downwardlydeflected inner margin of the gasket 9 into sealing engagement with thevalve stem 6 thereby sealing the valve orifice 19 and allowing thepressure within the container and the elastic characteristics of theresilient gasket 9 to return to sealing engagement with the innersurface of the end wall 4 those outer portions of the gasket which hadbeen deflected downwardly to form radial passages over the spans betweenthe radial ribs 22.

Turning now to the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, a similar constructionis shown wherein similar parts are provided with the same numbers aswere used in the description of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3.Parts related to those described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 3,but not identical, are given the numbers of the parts to which theyrelate with added. A plurality of columns 122 are employed instead ofthe radial ribs 22. These columns are provided with a downwardly slopingupper surface 128. Columns 122 are radially separated from the innermargin clamping rim 10 to provide a deflection space 121 betweenadjacent columns and between the columns on the rim into which thegasket is deflected by the pressure of the propellant during the fillingoperation. The columns 122 are located close to the outer periphery ofthe gasket 9. The columns press peripheral portions of the gasketagainst the end wall 4 of the valve mounting cup pedestal portion 3 uponcompletion of the charging operation. Because the deflection space 121also extends between the ring of columns 122 and the clamping edge 10,there is no danger of blocking openings 20. The number of openings 20and columns 122 need not be related to unequal as was the preferencewith respect to the first embodiment. With the valve housing 111 of thesecond embodiment, there ordinarily exists a space 123 through which thepropellant can flow. Longitudinal grooves 23 such as were employed withthe first embodiment are unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve for a pressurized dispenser. comprising a valve housingwithin which is arranged a movable valve member having an upstandinghollow valve stem provided with a transverse aperture, said valvehousing being secured to a valve mounting cup which cup includes an endwall having an aperture through which the valve stem projects, and anannular resilient sealing gasket surrounding the valve stem and normallysealing said transverse orifice, wherein the upper rim of the valvehousing comprises an uninterrupted inner margin which clamps the sealinggasket against the inner face of said end wall of the valve mounting cupand an interrupted outer margin formed by valve housing projectionswhich additionally clamp the sealing gasket against said end wall of thevalve mounting cup, the spacers between said projections accommodatingunclamped portions of said sealing gasket when deflected under pressurewhen propellant is charged through propellant inlet means in said endwall of the valve mounting cup.

2. A valve according to claim 1, wherein the projections includeclamping surfaces which extend radially from said uninterrupted innermargin of the valve housing rim. i

3. A valve according to claim I, wherein the projections includeclamping surfaces which are radially spaced from said uninterruptedinner margin of the valve housing rim.

4. A valve according to claim 2, wherein the projections and propellantinlet means are distributed uniformly around the valve housing rim, butdiffer in number from one another.

5. A valve according to claim 1, wherein the propellant inlet means aresituated closer to said uninterrupted margin of the valve housing rimthan to the outer circumference of the sealing gasket.

6. A valve according to claim 1, wherein the outer peripheral portion ofthe valve mounting cup surrounds a peripheral portion of the valvehousing and longitudinally extending, open-ended grooves between saidportions communicate at their upper ends with the spaces between saidprojections.

7. A valve for a pressurized dispenser comprising a valve housing withinwhich is arranged a movable valve member having an upstanding hollowvalve stem provided with a transverse aperture, said valve housing beingsecured to a valve mounting cup having an end wall which includes anaperture through which the valve stem projects and inlet meanstherethrough disposed radially outwardly from said aperture and anannular resilient sealing gasket surrounding the valve stem and normallysealing said transverse orifice and said inlet means said valve housinghaving an upper rim which comprises a clamping edge which seals thegasket against said end wall I a plurality of clamping projectionsspaced from each other and disposed outwardly ofsaid clamping edge andsaid projections providing unclamped portions of said gasket betweenspaced clamped portions, and

the spaces between said projections accommodating the unclamped portionswhen the unclamped portions are deflected under pressure when chargingsaid dispenser through said auxiliary inlet means.

8. A valve according to claim 7, wherein said inlet means is situatedcloser to the clamping edge than to the outer circumference of thesealing gasket.

9. A valve according to claim 7,., wherein the outer peripheral portionof the valve mounting cup surrounds the outer peripheral portion of thevalve housing and longitudinally extending, open-ended grooves in saidvalve housing communicate at their upper ends with the spaces betweensaid projections.

10. A valve according to claim 7 wherein the valve housing has a slopingupper surface between each of said projections.

11. A valve according to claim 7 wherein the projections comprisecircumferentially spaced ribs extending radially outwardly from saidclamping edge.

12. A valve according to claim 11 wherein said inlet means includes aplurality of auxiliary inlets,

the projections and auxiliary inlets are distributed uniformly aroundsaid upper rim and the end wall of the mounting cup, respectively, and

the number of projections and the number of auxiliary inlets differ.

13. A valve according to claim 7 wherein the projections comprisecircumferentially spaced columns which are spaced radially outwardly ofsaid clamping edge.

14. A valve according to claim 13 wherein each of said columns include adownwardly sloping upper surface.

15. A valve according to claim 13 wherein the columns are located inproximity with the outer circumference of the gasket.

16. A valve according to claim 13 wherein the columns and the clampingedge provide a gasket deflection space between adjacent columns andbetween the columns and the clamping edge.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Ratent No.3,838,799 Dated October 1, 1974 Inventor(s) Herbert Meuresch and Franz'Zimmerhackel It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 6, "14" should be --l3. Column 4, line 53, after "rim"insert --lO-. Column 4, line 64, "to" should be -or--.

Column 6, line 47, (Claim 14, line 2) "include" should be --includes-- ISigned and sealed this 4th day of March 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of' Patents and Trademarks.

RUTH C. MASON Attesting Officer DRM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC GOING-P69a 1.5x oovzmmsm vnlmme OFFICE: I969 O366334,

1. A valve for a pressurized dispenser, comprising a valve housingwithin which is arranged a movable valve member having an upstandinghollow valve stem provided with a transverse aperture, said valvehousing being secured to a valve mounting cup which cup includes an endwall having an aperture through which the valve stem projects, and anannular resilient sealing gasket surrounding the valve stem and normallysealing said transverse orifice, wherein the upper rim of the valvehousing comprises an uninterrupted inner margin which clamps the sealinggasket against the inner face of said end wall of the valve mounting cupand an interrupted outer margin formed by valve housing projectionswhich additionally clamp the sealing gasket against said end wall of thevalve mounting cup, the spacers between said projections accommodatingunclamped portions of said sealing gasket when deflected under pressurewhen propellant is charged through propellant inlet means in said endwall of the valve mounting cup.
 2. A valve according to claim 1, whereinthe projections include clamping surfaces which extend radially fromsaid uninterrupted inner margin of the valve housing rim.
 3. A valveaccording to claim 1, wherein the projections include clamping surfaceswhich are radially spaced from said Uninterrupted inner margin of thevalve housing rim.
 4. A valve according to claim 2, wherein theprojections and propellant inlet means are distributed uniformly aroundthe valve housing rim, but differ in number from one another.
 5. A valveaccording to claim 1, wherein the propellant inlet means are situatedcloser to said uninterrupted margin of the valve housing rim than to theouter circumference of the sealing gasket.
 6. A valve according to claim1, wherein the outer peripheral portion of the valve mounting cupsurrounds a peripheral portion of the valve housing and longitudinallyextending, open-ended grooves between said portions communicate at theirupper ends with the spaces between said projections.
 7. A valve for apressurized dispenser comprising a valve housing within which isarranged a movable valve member having an upstanding hollow valve stemprovided with a transverse aperture, said valve housing being secured toa valve mounting cup having an end wall which includes an aperturethrough which the valve stem projects and inlet means therethroughdisposed radially outwardly from said aperture and an annular resilientsealing gasket surrounding the valve stem and normally sealing saidtransverse orifice and said inlet means said valve housing having anupper rim which comprises a clamping edge which seals the gasket againstsaid end wall a plurality of clamping projections spaced from each otherand disposed outwardly of said clamping edge and said projectionsproviding unclamped portions of said gasket between spaced clampedportions, and the spaces between said projections accommodating theunclamped portions when the unclamped portions are deflected underpressure when charging said dispenser through said auxiliary inletmeans.
 8. A valve according to claim 7, wherein said inlet means issituated closer to the clamping edge than to the outer circumference ofthe sealing gasket.
 9. A valve according to claim 7,, wherein the outerperipheral portion of the valve mounting cup surrounds the outerperipheral portion of the valve housing and longitudinally extending,open-ended grooves in said valve housing communicate at their upper endswith the spaces between said projections.
 10. A valve according to claim7 wherein the valve housing has a sloping upper surface between each ofsaid projections.
 11. A valve according to claim 7 wherein theprojections comprise circumferentially spaced ribs extending radiallyoutwardly from said clamping edge.
 12. A valve according to claim 11wherein said inlet means includes a plurality of auxiliary inlets, theprojections and auxiliary inlets are distributed uniformly around saidupper rim and the end wall of the mounting cup, respectively, and thenumber of projections and the number of auxiliary inlets differ.
 13. Avalve according to claim 7 wherein the projections comprisecircumferentially spaced columns which are spaced radially outwardly ofsaid clamping edge.
 14. A valve according to claim 13 wherein each ofsaid columns include a downwardly sloping upper surface.
 15. A valveaccording to claim 13 wherein the columns are located in proximity withthe outer circumference of the gasket.
 16. A valve according to claim 13wherein the columns and the clamping edge provide a gasket deflectionspace between adjacent columns and between the columns and the clampingedge.